This article provides a perspective on solid oxide fuel cells operating at low temperature, defined here to be the range from ∼400 °C to 650 °C. These low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs) have seen considerable research and development and are widely viewed as the "next generation" technology, following the 650-850 °C SOFCs that are currently undergoing commercialization. LT-SOFCs have potential advantages for conventional SOFC applications such as stationary power generation, and may be viable for new portable and transportation power applications, along with electrolytic fuel production and energy storage. The characteristics of electrolyte and electrode materials are reviewed, with a focus on materials that have demonstrated good properties and cell performance at low temperature. Only oxygen-ion-conducting electrolytes are considered here. Anode materials are discussed, primarily the various Ni-cermet anode compositions that yield good low-temperature performance. Mixed ionically and electronically conducting cathode materials are described in detail, reflecting the extensive research activity that has aimed at providing useful oxygen reduction kinetics at low operating temperature. Cell design, materials compatibility, processing methods, and resulting microstructures are discussed, along with their role in determining cell performance. Results from state of the art LT-SOFCs are presented, and future prospects are discussed.

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) has been applied to many biofuel and bioenergy systems to determine potential environmental impacts, but the conclusions have varied. Different methodologies and processes for conducting LCA of biofuels make the results difficult to compare, in-turn making it difficult to make the best possible and informed decision. Of particular importance are the wide variability in country-specific conditions, modeling assumptions, data quality, chosen impact categories and indicators, scale of production, system boundaries, and co-product allocation. This study has a double purpose: conducting a critical evaluation comparing environmental LCA of biofuels from several conversion pathways and in several countries in the Pan American region using both qualitative and quantitative analyses, and making recommendations for harmonization with respect to biofuel LCA study features, such as study assumptions, inventory data, impact indicators, and reporting practices. The environmental management implications are discussed within the context of different national and international regulatory environments using a case study. The results from this study highlight LCA methodology choices that cause high variability in results and limit comparability among different studies, even among the same biofuel pathway, and recommendations are provided for improvement.

Mar del Plata, as county seat of partido of General Pueyrredon, has a strong touristic profile andit constitutes one of the main summer places in the country since it provides, apart from its many natural resources, a wide range of recreational and leisure activities. In populational terms, the city occupies the 8th place among the 15 largest urban areas in Argentina (Ferraro et al, 2013) with 618.989 stable inhabitants (INDEC, 2010). This quality of seasonality in the number of inhabitants assumes the same seasonal characteristic in the demand of energy and materials in order to satisfy their needs. For this reason, knowing how such demands vary is of prime importance considering that the partido does not produce its own energy locally but imports it in different forms. In this context, tourism affects the energetic consumption in that the number of people increases and with it the demand of goods and servicesincreases as well.This paper aims to estimate the consumption of fuels commercialized by wholesale suppliers and retailers in partido of General Pueyrredonaccording to the variation throughout the year by analyzing CO2emissions produced by the use of fuel during 2010.The results show that there is a relation between the peak fuel consumption and the months with the most touristic activity; the results also reveal that the main fuel type used was CNG, however the greatest emissions were produced by the use of gas oil; of all the sectors, the retail sector was the one with the highest demand.

We present an overview of the current socio-economic situation in Argentina, pointing some historical elements that make structural continuities. We show from the last decade, when it starts a period of notable changes at the level of public policies and the role of the State; moving from a system that during the 90 will lead to a full liberalization of the economy to a "postneoliberal" stage based on a neo-Keynesian model (in the sense of a shock policy geared to strengthening the domestic market first policy-based redistributive income) and neodevelopmentalist with presence of the state as an economic agent: productive, tax collector, credit). We note how in the rural world have been taking a series of transformations that sits in deepening a model of neo-developmentalist profile, in their agriculture and energy versions it has put people to new conflicts and challenges. In summary, we show how consolidates the current corporate food regime (with expanding production of of transgenic monocultures and agrofuels) that articulates and strengthens the alliance of industry groups, financiers, landowners, landlords, uncritical intellectuals (Universities such as research and development institutions) and areas of government and the mass media.

The objective of this work is to quantitatively evaluate the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) which comes from the Paraguayan Chaco, in the operation of diesel engines in a dual form, making a minimum of modifications in them. For the use of CNG, a cross-flow gas mixing chamber was added to the air inlet manifold, a conversion kit (consisting of a gas pressure regulator and the electronic regulator switching system), to a Diesel engine coupled to a test bank. In the dual system, the engine showed a similar thermal performance compared to the exclusive diesel operation for medium to high loads and lower performance at low loads. The analysis of costs showed economic viability in certain ranges of substitution, being important for the promotion of the exploitation of the natural gas in Paraguay, considering that 100% of the oil derivatives are imported.